International Marketing

Duration

30h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

Claire Gruslin

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

Companies evolve in a globalized environment impacting their strategies both in their home and international markets.  The international marketing course (IM) intends to train  students to plan marketing programmes based on the understanding of intercultural differences and market specificities. Students are guided to analyze international markets and critically evaluate different marketing approaches (adapted, undifferentiated or concentrated).
 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

After completion of this course, students should be able to:
Main: 

• describe and discuss the key international challenges and opportunities faced by companies when entering new markets
• demonstrate a sound knowledge of global competitiveness (universal) and local adjustments (country-specific) within marketing strategies

• be aware of the impact of significant cultural dimensions on international marketing and particularly on the consumer behaviour, standardization or customization of product attributes, the price/quality relationship and the communication styles
• master the key concepts and the terminology of international marketing and implement them in case studies
• tackle strategic and tactical problems linked to culture-bound and culture-free products and services

• work harmoniously in group (collaborative work)
• use "problem-based" learning

• IKLO2- gaining the knowledge and understanding of one of the proposed fields of concentration
• IKLO4- acquire the capacity to research autonomously and methodically the information need to solve a complex, transversal management problem
• IKLO7- being capable of professional team work
• IKLO9- develop a crticial sense (arguing)
• IKLO12- professional capacity for oral communication
• IKLO13- professional capacity for written communication

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

This course is closely linked to the basic marketing course, consumer intelligence course and strategic marketing course. 
 

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The International marketing course consists of lectures and article discussions.
It uses the case study method in order to allow students to perceive the problems "in real life".  Furthermore a "field trip" sponsored by the Awex is organized in a foreign country around a collaborative work on a specific issues from local companies in international markets. Full HEC registered students are all welcome.  Erasmus students can participate provided they finance the trip themselves.
Contributors from real life companies are regularly invited to provide with their personal experience.
 

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

The IM course is a « blended learning » i.e. mixing both class sessions with on line preparations.  Teaching language is English.

Recommended or required readings

Required Readings:

• Hollensen, S. (2011), Global_Marketing (5th ed)
• Usunier, J-C. (2005), Marketing across cultures (4th ed)

• there is a list of selected articles to illustrate the concepts:  they are distributed regularly

Assessment methods and criteria

Exam (individual): 50% All students must complete a test on the content provided in the course platform.
Assignment(group): 50% Design of an international marketing strategy on a selected country
Class Participation (individual): +/- 2 Points (Bonus/Malus) Class participation is evaluated not only on the basis of volume or extent of participation, but more importantly on the basis of quality. 

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

Students are expected to attend class when they have read the necessary material and have their preparation done.  They should actively participate in class discussions and when there is a guest speaker, be active and raise smart questions.

Contacts

For lecture content, please contact GRUSLIN Claire by email Claire.Gruslin@ulg.ac.be 
Please note that her office is located:
Rue St Gilles, 35, 4000 Liège, Bâtiment N2 (3rd floor)